About

Labros Filippou is a Los Angeles based multi-disciplinary artist, born in Karditsa, Greece.Countertenor vocals, performing arts, acting in cinema and theater, spoken word poetry, directing in cinema and theater, teaching workshops in Los Angeles and Greece, all under one umbrella – freedom of expression.

The realization of creating came late. His connection with art, however, was a familiar feeling that traced back to all his earlier years, growing up in a small village and being inspired by raw tradition, folk culture, and real people.

During his time in the States, the core focus has been the foundation of LFacting, getting deeper and building an even more wide-range repertoire as an actor, and his music projects YIANNEIS, WORLD DOG, and IAVVV, as well as new collaborations that started blossoming with musicians from the underground, avant-garde, pop, folk and electronic music scene.

Surrounded by outstanding musicians, in May 2018 he launches a new hybrid music Project called The Peasant, which is going to be his debut in the U.S. as a singer and on stage performer. The first show takes place at the legendary Roxy Theatre. “Countertenor operatic vocals meet the most instinctive side of human nature, the one that looks more like an animal than a civilized person.”

Right before that, around late 2017, he went on stage with a few top quality electronic musicians and he put some freestyle narrative, speaking poems and singing some out of this world vocals, introducing the project Voukefalas, based on Labros’ poetry and named out of his nickname as a poet. The even took place in Athens, GR and the next steps will find them releasing tracks, sooner than soon.

Labros’ new baby and one of his most deep and delicately born artistic moves ever is the album Erinyes, an album created with voices only, completed early 2018. A healing music experience.It went on stage for the first time late 2018, by the name “And They Built Churches“, where Labros collaborated with different musicians and performed around Greece. A hyperrealistic existential journey. A build up of looping voices where everyone is invited – into a conscious tuning of human senses and the Universe. And They Built Churches is the continuation, the expansion of Erinyes album. Looping countertenor operatic voices meet with rhythmic psychedelia, drones, electricity and electronic arts.

And They Built Churches will have their debut in the US early 2019.

Back to 2018 in Greece, Labros forms a new band and performs with the most beautiful and talented guys from the folk, traditional music scene, in Thessaloniki, GR, where they build together the folkest and most traditional fair, only it seems and sounds as if it came from the future. Two lead vocalists, percussion, clarinet, canun, guitars, violin. This one is a dream come true for Labros (find out why, looking through the second paragraph of this page once again).

His debut as a cinema director, is Element, a short film he co-wrote and co-directed. World Dog was the music that inspired the creation of the film and Stelios Faitakis‘ art work was the final piece that completed the project.

Collaborations include:

(2010) Working with Julia Kent (Antony and the Johnsons), for “Alismono“.

(2013) Working with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch for Daphnis Kokkinos’ solo ”ADDIO, ADDIO AMORE”, where he composed and sang part of the music.

Awards:

In 2008 he was given the “Best Performer” award at the Hellenic National Musical Performance Festival.

As an actor,

He participated in films such as INTERRUPTION (72nd Venice Film Festival) and Casus Belli (67th Venice Film Festival) both directed by Y. Zois, J.A.C.E., dir. M. Karamagiolis, True Blue, dir. Y. Diamantopoulos etc. He also starred in tv series and took part in several theatrical performances, as an actor, performer and countertenor, such as “Akropolis Reconstruction”, “Who is mr. Kelerman?”, “Dying as a country” (European Tour), “2004 a year after”, all directed by M. Marmarinos, ”Pagliacci” (Herodium Ancient Theater, 2004) directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

As a director in theater,

In the summer of 2013, he directed the performance “Anthem to Liberty” based on D. Solomos’ “Hymn to Liberty”, at Athens & Epidaurus Festival. The critics wrote “Sex-Violence-Guts with the accompaniment of music!” or “The nationalistic fervor drifts, Some of the viewers take part in the violence: The nationalistic hysteria lures them, the National Anthem becomes the means for imposing fascist mentality.” or even “Denunciation of fascism and nationalist exploitation of the nation became clear using quite simple means. The persona of L. Filippou during the musical part of the performance also brings to mind “The Wall” of Pink Floyd, which functioned as a clear explanatory intertextual reference.”

As a teacher,

Labros Filippou’s soft spot lies with teaching. Since 2009 he has continued to give seminars to actors, directors, performers, musicians, singers, and other professionals who implement their artistic and oratory craft via their voice, body, and the spoken world. He founded LFacting in Los Angeles, in 2014.

Throughout his career,

Labros has given lectures, seminars, concerts and performances for universities, philanthropic organizations, schools for children with special needs, rehabilitation programs, and is always open to new collaborations with organizations and groups of people for whom the vision of free expression in life and on stage equals life itself.